A trade team from Southeast Asia was in South Dakota this weekend to see the quality of the soybean crop and build relationships with farmers. International Marketing Consultant Peter Mishek says the group represented feed manufacturers and grain buyers from one of the top market areas for United States soybeans and products.

The tour included the Scheier farm near Salem and Dawn Scheier says hosting the group is important because trade is built through trust.

They also stopped at Steve and Cathy Eichacker’s cattle and grain operation near Salem. Steve says the group was interested in the farmers they buy from and their sustainability protocol.

Marie Marte with MCM International Inc. represents U.S. co-op AGP in the Philippines. She says they look to the U.S. for quality and consistency with the soybean crop.

Marte says they also wanted to see the crop in the U.S. since they’re concerned about the drought and the impact it will have on soybean prices.

The trade mission also gave South Dakota soybean farmers the chance to see the advantage of the high amino acid content of their beans in livestock rations